BACKGROUND: Though the U.S. House of Representatives
overwhelmingly approved President Bush's energy bill, in the Senate
Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) has refused to bring it to
the floor. The reason: He fears losing a debate on drilling in
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Similarly, Senator Jeff Bingaman
(D-NM) has refused to let the bill be voted out of committee and
Senator John Kerry (D-MA) has vowed to filibuster any bill
that allows drilling in ANWR

TEN SECOND RESPONSE: Oil exploration in the refuge is
vital to our nation's security. ANWR oil could replace half of
all the oil we import from the Persian Gulf for over 35 years.

THIRTY SECOND RESPONSE: Failure to authorize this Alaska
oil exploration in will cost American jobs, further depress our
economy ­ possibly for decades ­ and jeopardize our national
security. Oil from Alaska's coastal plain could replace half of
all Persian Gulf oil for over 35 years, replace all Saudi Arabian
Oil for over 30 years and totally eliminate the need for Iraqi
oil. In view of the instability and hostility toward the U.S.
in these countries, we must act now.

DISCUSSION: The arguments of environmental extremists
and Democrats against drilling in ANWR have been phony all along
and now they are jeopardizing the well-being of our children and
our children's children.

When they say there is only 6 months of oil in ANWR, in addition
to using incorrect numbers, they miss the real strategic significance
of the oil there, as shown in the responses, above. Since estimates
of ANWR reserves were made using old technology, actual reserves
are most likely to be on the high side of the estimate or 16 billion
barrels. Currently, we import about 2.4 million barrels per day
from the Persian Gulf. Of that, 0.6 million comes from Iraq and
1.5 million from Saudi Arabia. Iraq is, of course, openly hostile
to the U.S. and building weapons of mass destruction and Saudi
Arabia may be unstable for decades.

Exploration in ANWR will involve only 2,000 of the refuge's
19.5 million acres and not harm wildlife, as proven by the dramatic
increase in the Prudhoe Bay caribou herd (from 6,000 to 19,000)
after we began drilling there.

by Tom Randall, Director
John P. McGovern, MD Center for Environmental and Regulatory Affairs
The National Center for Public Policy Research

Contact the author at: 773-857-5086 or [email protected]
The National Center for Public Policy Research
Chicago office
3712 North Broadway - PMB 279
Chicago, IL 60613